Benham Charitable Settlement

The Benham Charitable Settlement, founded in 1965 by Cedric and Hilda Benham, is a longstanding grant-making trust rooted in Christian principles and public benefit, with a mission to foster positive change by supporting registered charities, particularly those benefiting Northamptonshire communities while extending to wider UK and overseas causes. Its values emphasize philanthropy, community strengthening, and aid for the disadvantaged, reflected in over 50 years of consistent grant-making that prioritizes local identity alongside a broad, values-driven remit.

The trust funds diverse themes including medical research, disability and health, support for the elderly, children and young people, poverty relief, overseas aid, missions to seamen, ex-servicemen welfare, wildlife and environmental conservation, heritage, the arts, and religious activities—especially Church of England projects and Christian missions domestically and abroad. Beneficiaries range from small grassroots groups to larger regional organizations, such as Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust, Spencer Contact for poverty relief, and church restoration initiatives, typically covering core costs or small project expenses rather than major capital works.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities of any size and income, with no geographic restrictions but a strong preference for those serving Northamptonshire; unsolicited applications are welcomed via written letter to the Secretary at 1 Virginia Drive, Virginia Water, Surrey, GU25 4RX, including charity details, activities, funding needs, and finances. Requests are reviewed at biannual trustee meetings (every six months), with decisions potentially taking up to six months and no fixed deadlines. Grants are mostly under £2,000, often one-off.

Distinctively, the trust avoids individuals, seed funding, emergency relief, or large infrastructure, favoring a low-bureaucracy, relationship-driven process open to charities of any faith background if public benefit is clear, setting it apart for regional, faith-aligned, and community-focused applicants addressing health, poverty, disability, heritage, or education in or linked to Northamptonshire.